K-State Meat Animal Evaluation Team Named National Champions

The Kansas State University Meat Animal Evaluation Team won National Champion honors at the 2022 Collegiate Meat Animal Evaluation Contest hosted in Lubbock, Texas. The team was recognized Tuesday, April 26 following the three-day competition.

The event, previously known as the AKSARBEN contest, now rotates between host institutions across the country. The competition includes live market animal carcass predictions and pricing, breeding animal evaluation and meat judging competition and truly serves as a capstone judging experience for students with its incorporation of so many industry applicable concepts.  

The team placed first in the breeding, beef, sheep, swine and market animal divisions of the contest. Individually K-State had seven members place in the top 10 overall, including the top three individuals. Cody Knodle, Fillmore, Illinois, was first; Macie Weigand, Monona, Iowa, second; and Colby Hough, Mount Airy, Maryland, third. (See complete individual and team results below.)

“The Meat Animal Evaluation contest is the most comprehensive test of students’ knowledge of the factors that impact production of meat from livestock. Many of the students that compete in this contest have already demonstrated excellence in animal and/or meat evaluation, and this annual opportunity for them to pull their knowledge, education and past training together make this a true Capstone experience for all,” says Dr. Mike Day, KSU ASI department head. “The capacity for all-inclusive consideration of product value as impacted by genetics and management is crucial to economic efficiency of meat production. Congratulations to our K-State students and coaches for their high level of excellence in this competition.”

The team is coached by Dr. Travis O'Quinn and Chris Mullinix.

Team Results:

• Champion Team — Breeding Division

   

• Champion Team — Swine Division

   

• Champion Team — Sheep Division

   

• Champion Team — Market Division

   

• Champion Team — Beef Division

   

• Second-Place Team — Meats Division

   

• Third-Place Team — Communications Division

   

Individual Results:

• Cody Knodle, Fillmore, Illinois – 1st Overall, 8th Beef, 6th Breeding, 2nd Market, 7th Sheep, 3rd Swine

   

• Macie Weigand, Monona, Iowa – 2nd Overall, 5th Beef, 5th Meats, 4th Sheep

   

• Colby Hough, Mt. Airy, Maryland – 3rd Overall 1st Breeding, 1st Market, 2nd Sheep, 5th Swine

   

• Eric Sahagun, Arroyo Grande, California– 6th Overall, 7th Beef, 4th Breeding, 8th Market

   

• Makenna Green, Arthur, Illinois – 7th Overall, 3rd Market, 8th Sheep

   

• Lindsey Decker, Philo, Illinois – 9th Overall, 10th Beef, 8th Meats, 4th Swine

   

• Britton Coates, Baldwin, Kansas – 10th Overall, 10th meats, 1st Swine

   

• Tessa Beeman, Hamilton, Kansas – 4th Beef

   

• Emily Albright, Delia, Kansas – 7th Swine, 9th Meats

   

• Jacob Schmeidler, Hays, Kansas – 5th Breeding

   

• Steph Witberler, Marathon, Wisconsin – 3rd Meats    

   

• Kami McComb, Pratt, Kansas – 4th Market

   

• Jacob Johnson, Ruth, Mississippi – 6th Market

   

Team Members:

• Emily Albright, Delia, Kansas

   

• Tessa Beeman, Hamilton, Kansas

   

• Ben Bradbury, Winfield, Kansas

   

• Britten Coates, Baldwin, Kansas

   

• Lindsey Decker, Philo, Illinois

   

• Taylor Dieball, Little River, Kansas

   

• Makenna Green, Arthur, Illinois

   

• Terra Heilman, Cushing, Iowa

   

• Colby Hough, Mt. Airy, Maryland

   

• Tara Hummel, Cabery, Illinois

   

• Grace Knepp, Lincolnville, Kansas

   

• Cody Knodle, Fillmore, Illinois

   

• Jacob Johnson, Ruth, Mississippi

   

• Rhett Lowderman, Macomb, Illinois

   

• Kylynn Mallen, Cameron, Missouri

   

• Kami McComb, Pratt, Kansas

   

• Eric Sahagun, Arroyo Grande, California

   

• Jacob Schmeidler, Hays, Kansas

   

• Holly Sinning, Mansfield, Missouri

   

• Macie Weigand, Monona, Iowa

   

• Steph Witberler, Marathon, Wisconsin